Ford, Mazda to Remain 'Long-Term' Partners
One year after Ford Motor Co. sold most of its controlling stake in Mazda Motor Corp., top executives from both companies have reaffirmed their commitment to a "long-term partnership" – quashing speculation that the longest alliance in automotive history was breaking apart. According to the Detroit News, in meetings over the past couple of weeks, Ford CEO Alan Mulally, Mazda CEO Takashi Yamanouchi, and other senior managers have discussed how they can continue to collaborate within the framework of their new ownership structure. While their partnership will be less about shared vehicle platforms and more about joint development of automotive systems and technologies, executives from Ford and Mazda said it remains vital to their success. Mazda provides Ford with a window into the Japanese auto business that Ford is keen to keep open. And the relationship also allows Ford to achieve even greater economies of scale. For example, by selling motors to Mazda, it is able to lower its own unit cost for those engines. And the two companies continue to operate four major joint ventures – in China, Thailand, South Africa, and Flat Rock – that are beneficial to Ford’s global outlook. Click here for more on Ford and Mazda’s continuing partnership.
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